Media Release

Udupi, Nov 1: Accepting the challenge by the union law minister M Veerappa Moily to have a survey/review to bring out the truth of actual funds spent by the state government for the grants released by the central government towards union government sponsored programme, the Higher Education minister Dr V S Acharya on Monday November 1 said that the state government was ready for such a survey.

Replying to the criticism made by Moily on Saturday October 30 at Nitte that the second position given to Karnataka was not really a “Certificate” for the achievements in the developmental activities but only for spending the central grants whereas it's actul utilization will be known only when a survey will be conducted, Dr Acharya asserted that the state which was in 12th position in 1992 had today attained the second position in the entire country after Gujarat state in the successful implementation of 20 point programme of poverty alleviation.

“A small portion of grant had been given by the centre, while the state government has on its own had launched several innovative programmes. On the other hand, he said that the centre was yet to release grants under Rural Development (RD) programme. He said that for the first time in the country, the BJP government in the state had this year made available a whopping allocation of Rs 10,503 crore in the education sector. It had also attained the first position in terms of plan expenditure through mobilization of resources without taxing which was at 11 percent of GPDP.

He also stressed the need that besides, awareness about new aspects like financial literacy, computer literacy, web literacy, legal literacy and energy literacy, we need to have cultural and religious literacy to know about the cultural growth of Karnataka.

Referring to power situation, he said that Udupi Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) near Padubidri in the district, in its first stage of production had already producing 600 MW power. In the second stage, expected to be commenced by the end of December this year, an additional 600 MW would be added. Out of the total power produced by the UPCL, 10 percent production would be passed on to the national grid and remaining would be supplied to the MESCOM covering four revenue districts.

He said that there was an estimated loss of Rs 28 lakh due to the torrential rains that hit the district during the three days from October 21 to 23 which had severely damaged all major roads and National Highway. The district administration had already received Rs. 8 crore to take up the repair works. He said he had also specially asked the National Highway Authorities to take up the repair works at the earliest along with the ongoing work of construction of new bridges and culverts on the four lane project between Suratkal and Kundapur. Funds had also been released for the Rs 45 crore widening of Padubidri-Karkala (from 7.5 mt to 15.5 mt).

The revenue department had also given its approval for widening work between Kalsanka and Kallianpur
road, he added. The minister said that the work on the Rs 27 crore district administration complex at Manipal under the completion stage and planned to inaugurate by the end of December. In all Rs 22 crore had already been released, he said and added that a proposal is also before the government for the
construction of Circuit House in Udupi and Mangalore at the cost of Rs 3 crore.